Americans United on Education, the American Dream, and Founding Documents
ISI asked 2,508 Americans whether they strongly agreed (5), agreed (4), were neutral (3), disagreed (2), or strongly disagreed (1) with thirty-nine propositions. Below are all thirty-nine propositions ranked by the strength of American opinion on each, along with whether Americans tended to agree or disagree with each proposition. Strength of opinion on each proposition is the difference between the average response and the neutral position.
Rank Of proposition by strength of opinion Agree/Disagree
1 Educators should focus on teaching the technical skills for competing in the global economy. Agree
2 A person’s evaluation of a nation improves with his or her understanding of that nation. Agree
3 Colleges should prepare citizen leaders by teaching America’s history, its key texts, and its institutions. Agree
4 With hard work and perseverance anyone can succeed in America. Agree
5 America is the world’s greatest melting pot where people from all countries can unite into one nation. Agree
6 The Bible is the Word of God. Agree
7 The Ten Commandments are irrelevant today. Disagree
8 Abortion should be available at any stage and for any reason. Disagree
9 America is a model of freedom and justice for the world. Agree
10 Society is identical to government. Disagree
11 America’s Founding documents are obsolete. Disagree
12 America corrupts otherwise good people. Disagree
13 Republicans and Democrats are similar in their beliefs. Disagree
14 Government must act to curb global warming. Agree
15 Universities should allow students to live in a dorm room with the opposite sex. Disagree
16 America’s media covers rival political views fairly. Disagree
17 Universities should ensure a balance of liberal and conservative views among faculty. Agree
18 Prosperity depends upon entrepreneurs and free markets. Agree
19 Homeschooling families neglect their community obligations. Disagree
20 Same-sex couples should be allowed to marry legally. Disagree
21 Educators should instill more doubt in students and reject certainty. Disagree
22 Local zoning laws improve communities. Agree
23 Raising the minimum wage decreases employment. Disagree
24 Religion and science typically conflict. Agree
25 Public school teachers should be allowed to lead prayers in school. Agree
26 Profit accrues to those organizations that help people. Agree
27 Competitive political parties improve public policy. Agree
28 Discrimination is the most urgent problem in America. Disagree
29 Government regulation does more good than harm. Disagree
30 The American Founders opposed universal health care. Disagree
31 Global capitalism produces a few winners and many losers. Agree
32 American government should do more to solve international problems. Disagree
33 Latino immigrants are assimilating well into America. Agree
34 Taxing the rich to help the poor reduces work and investment. Disagree
35 The free market brings about full employment. Agree
36 Legislators should suspend all tax dollars for a college after its endowment exceeds one billion dollars. Agree
37 Immigration into America should be reduced no matter how well immigrants assimilate. Disagree
38 Religion provides indispensable support for self-government. Agree
39 Legislators should subsidize a college in proportion to its students learning about America. Disagree